Date of Discovery
by Kristine Angela Booth
Summary: When Adrien figures out something shocking about Marinette, he realizes that he can't just sit home alone to process it. So, he goes to her balcony. A short MariChat fanfiction.


**This story was written as a prize for a challenge hosted on another platform. I apologize if the story is at all rushed, but I had a word limit of 1500 words. I hope you enjoy!**

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Adrien Agreste couldn't believe his eyes. He had just transformed back and was hiding around the corner of the school to feed Plagg. A few complaints, and some stinky cheese, later and he had turned the corner to go back to the entrance. Standing in the shadow of the stairs, however, was his crime-fighting partner.

Before he could move, a pink magic rose around her and Ladybug's transformation fell.

"That was a close one, Tikki! We almost didn't make it back to school this time," Marinette said, giggling to a small red kwami floating in the air next to her.

Eyes widening to the size of the wheels of cheese he bought for Plagg, Adrien quickly stumbled back around the corner. He pressed his back against the wall. While he had always wanted to know Ladybug's identity, he had never imagined that she was one of his best friends as a civilian.

 _Marinette was Ladybug._

"Uh oh," Plagg said, flying out of his holder's white overshirt. The kwami watched Adrien with uncertainty. "I'm pretty sure you weren't supposed to see that."

It took a moment for Adrien to form a response, in which time he could hear her feet beating against the school steps as she rushed upstairs. When the sound was gone, he finally found the words he was looking for.

"How is Marinette Ladybug? She can't possibly be Ladybug, can she?" he said, trying to wrap his head around what he had just seen.

"I think that you just saw proof otherwise, my friend. The girl with a sickening crush on you as Adrien is the very one who rejects you as Ladybug. Ironic isn't it? Let's go back to class, I need a nap and Mendeleiev always manages to put me to sleep," Plagg said.

After another moment of trying to wrap his head around this revelation, Adrien started walking. However, he stopped again after a moment. "Wait. She has a crush on me?"

Plagg sighed, resting his face in his small paw. "I'll explain it all to you later, but you do realize that the longer you stay out here the more you risk your father yelling at you for being late?"

Chat Noir crouched on the roof of the school, on the very edge so he could look over to Marinette's balcony. She was sitting there, scribbling in a pink sketchbook. A tiny red shape floated around her, and he could see Marinette talking. That would be Ladybug's - Marinette's - kwami, Tikki. When he'd gone home, Plagg had spent quite a while talking to him about her.

While he'd been talking, he had been able to finally accept what he'd found out. Knowing that Marinette was Ladybug even made him smile.

"How are things for my Princess this evening?" he asked, surprising both Marinette and himself to find that he was suddenly on the railing of her balcony. She screamed out, flailing her arms and falling from her seat as the kwami flew behind the chair.

"C-Chat Noir?"

"The one and only," he said, jumping down from the railing and bowing dramatically. When he straightened his back, Marinette remained sitting on the ground.

She slowly stood up, dusting off her pants before her eyes found his, the look on her face the same as when he had run into her when his fans had been chasing him around the city - surprise mixed with embarrassment. He couldn't help but grin at the adorable expression.

"What are you doing here? Is there an akuma?" Her demeanor changed from the shy girl to the superheroine in an instant. Lifting her hands into a defense posture, Marinette scanned the skyline for signs of destruction.

 _How did I never notice the similarities before? She acts just like Ladybug._

Chat shook his head. "You can put your yo-yo away, Princess, no akumas have come to threaten Paris today," he said. As soon as the words left his lips, he knew the joke would be too obvious. He prevented himself from wincing, however, in hopes that she would let the moment pass without comment.

Marinette's arms relaxed at the words, then confusion spread across her face. "A yo-yo?" she asked, a bit of suspicion in her voice as she asked the question.

"B-because Ladybug has a yo-yo, and you obviously couldn't be me," he said. It started out stuttering and awkward, but he ended with the same light tone he normally used. The excuse was weak, but in the heat of the moment, it was all he could come up with. Hoping to avoid further questioning, he tried to change the subject.

"What is it you were working on?" He motioned to her sketchbook, which had come to rest on the empty chair when she had freaked out.

She looked over to it and picked it up in a hurry, hugging it to her chest as if to hide it. Her cheeks burned red like the color of Ladybug's suit. "N-nothing! Just some doodles is all. I get more inspiration being outside rather than cooped up in my room."

He nodded, looking over at the streets and the trees. His eyes finally landed on the statue of him and Ladybug. Theo had done great work there. Despite the height discrepancy, he had captured Ladybug's majesty perfectly. The only thing better to look at was the real Ladybug. Who, Chat reminded himself, stood right beside him.

"If you're lacking a bit on inspiration, what if I take you around the city? I can show you some of my favorite spots," he said with a wink, holding his hand out to Marinette. Her bluebell eyes looked at his hand for a moment, obviously torn. When she finally gave in and placed her hand gingerly in his, even he could tell there was a twinkle in his green eyes.

Careful to look away for a moment - seeing her kwami zip into her jacket from the corner of his eye - he pulled her close and lifted her in his arms. Then, he pushed off with his legs and they were running along rooftops.

The first stop on their tour was the fountain right in front of the Agreste Mansion. He landed on the wall surrounding his house, setting Marinette down to look over at the fountain. They were looking from the back, but it was still a stunning sight.

"Fontaine du Palmier," he said to her. He continued the rest in a whisper. "The Statue of Victory rests on top, and the sphinx guards it against the base. It reminds me of y- of Ladybug."

For a moment she didn't say a word, just stared out at the statue. "It's beautiful. Though, I bet it's more stunning if you can actually see the front of it," she said teasingly, glancing at him playfully.

Chuckling, Chat grabbed her again and jumped, landing on the other side of the fountain. Now the front of the statue was visible for Marinette to see. It was at that time as well that she seemed to see what was behind it - the wall of which they had just been standing on. Seeing the blush on her cheeks made him wonder how he had ever missed her crush on him.

Giving her a moment to take in the fountain after getting over seeing the Agreste Mansion, Chat placed his arm around her again. "I've got somewhere else I'd like to show you if you're up for another trip."

Marinette nodded without hesitation this time, placing her arms around him so she wouldn't fall. He left, seeing several people on the street pointing as the landed on a roof and pushed off again.

This trip took longer, but soon they were on a rooftop looking down at the glimmering glass pyramid that was the Louvre Museum. The sun had finally begun to set, casting the glass in a yellow-orange glow that danced across the surface.

"I know you've been here before, but I don't think you've ever taken the time to admire it from above as you should," he said, draping his arm around her shoulders and looking at her pointedly as she gazed over at the museum they had fought at countless times.

It took several seconds for everything he said - combined with his expression - to sink in fully. However, she finally looked over at him. She put a finger on his nose and pushed his face further from his, causing him to remove his arm as well.

"What do you mean? No one but you and Ladybug can see it from here," she said nervously.

He opened his mouth to reply when his staff beeped, indicating an akuma attack. Pulling it out, he looked down to double check. "Guess this cat has to bolt. I'll be seeing you soon, M'Ladybug." Chat bowed again, then turned and started racing toward the akuma's location.

Marinette stood frozen until he was almost to the edge of the building. "What?! Chat Noir!" she shouted.


End file.
